10 tips for a safe start to the school year

Source : Walloon Agency for Road Safety
Image : Region Public Service Brussels Mobility

This year, the start of the school year will take place on August 25th. This means that from this date, schoolchildren and students will be on the roads again and the times of entry and exit of classes represent risky moments. Indeed, every year in Wallonia, 380 children and teenagers are victims of a road accident on their way to school.

To protect them from danger, it is important to prepare them well in advance, in particular by training them on the way to school. The end of the holidays, with its still reduced traffic and the last days of free time, is the perfect time to do so.

Discover our tips for a safe recovery!

Takeover by car

1. Make sure you always have a suitable car seat

Children have probably grown up well in recent months, the start of the school year is often the time to buy new clothes. It is also worth checking whether the child's car seat is still suitable for their weight and height. This information can be found in the user manual and can also be easily found on the manufacturer's website. This is also an opportunity to check that the seat is properly adjusted, especially the headrest.

Properly secured in a suitable seat, a child is 3 times less likely to lose his life or be injured in the event of an accident.

2. Think mobility

To limit traffic jams, why not take advantage of the last days of the holidays to organize a carpool with other parents in the neighborhood? In addition to improving traffic flow, this will also save precious liters of fuel.

On foot, by bike or by public transport

3. Choose the safest route

Whether or not it is the first year that the child goes to school on foot, by bike or by bus, it is always a good idea to review the basics of the journey with him or her and to remember the right behavior before (re)driving in the heavy traffic of the days of recovery. This preparation takes time. It is therefore now that it is necessary to define the route he will take and to travel it several times to help him identify the riskiest places and situations and teach him how to avoid them.

It is also important to choose the paths that will increase the safety of the route. Several elements can be preferred: a route with wide and passable pavements or shoulders, well-designed pedestrian crossings that are clearly visible to drivers or with traffic lights, passable cycle paths and safe cycling crossings.

4. Remind people of the essential rules

Walking to school in a quiet and stress-free way is a good time to remind yourself of the basics: always stop and look carefully before crossing, make yourself visible and predictable or never run to "catch" your bus or when crossing, even if the light turns red during the crossing.

5. Draw one's attention to risky situations….

IIt is also important to make the child aware of certain risky situations such as approaching a crossroads, the end of a bike path, not crossing the street in places where he is less visible or where his/her visibility is reduced (between parked cars, before a bend or in front of or behind a bus).

6. …. and teach him/her to manage them

Avoiding risky situations will not always be possible, so it is useful to also teach them how to manage them, in particular by indicating their intentions, making sure they have been seen by other users and waiting for them to stop before entering traffic.

7. Provide him/her with a bike in good condition and order

Opt for a robust bike and check it regularly to make sure it is in order.

8. Encourage them to wear a helmet

Even if it is not mandatory, on a bike, a helmet will protect it effectively by reducing the risk of serious head injuries by 65% in the event of a fall. Brightly colored helmets with reflective strips also make it easier to be seen by other road users.

9. Help him/her transport his/her schoolbag safely by bike

Ideally, the school bag should be attached to the luggage rack and not carried on the back. It is also useful to help the child prepare it by taking only the necessary elements to prevent it from being too heavy and possibly to discuss it with his teacher, so that he is attentive to what the students have to bring home in the evening.

10. Think about road safety when shopping for the new school year

When buying school supplies and new clothes for the fall, it can be helpful to consider the road safety aspect. It won't be long before the days get shorter after the start of the school year and opting for light or brightly colored clothes or retroreflective accessories, especially the winter coat, will make the child more visible. The same goes for school bags and backpacks which will ensure better visibility of the child.